FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions to the Berlin Urban Nature Pact

The Berlin Urban Nature Pact is a global initiative from cities for cities. It seeks to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of people and the planet in cities worldwide by 2030 and beyond.

Its objective is to demonstrate how the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the renewed Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2023-2030) can be achieved through decisive local action. It aims to create better protections for biodiversity and ecosystems through specific principles and smart targets, building upon the Edinburgh Declaration and the Montreal Pledge.

The Berlin Pact comprises seven target areas, spanning 28 smart targets 1) education and nature experience, 2) species and habitats, 3) cohabitation, 4) green infrastructure and ecosystems, 5) blue infrastructure and water management, 6) soil health, and 7) food and agriculture.

The Berlin Urban Nature Pact is an initiative of the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment. Following the signing of the Edinburgh Declaration, Berlin identified an opportunity to take the lead in addressing the implementation of the targets of the GBF. The Pact was conceived to make ambitious commitments for implementation at the local and regional level and mobilize cities worldwide towards this goal. The Pact was initiated in 2022 in close collaboration with the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and the ICLEI European Secretariat, funded by the City of Berlin. More than 90 cities worldwide were involved in its development through a two-year participatory consultation process, making it a uniquely city-driven initiative.

Following the consultation and refinement phase in 2022, the Mayor of Berlin endorsed the Pact in September 2024.

From its official launch at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 16^th Conference of Parties (COP16) onwards, cities, municipalities, and local and regional authorities, that are committed to preserving biodiversity, are invited to join the Berlin Urban Nature Pact and become official signatories at any time.

Simply reach out to the Pact Coordination Office via our Email address info@berlinurbannaturepact.org or contact us using the form on the website here

When your city signs up for the Pact, your city will be committing to the following:

1. Initiation of the Pact: Organize a formal signing ceremony with the Mayor or authorized representatives to endorse the Pact publicly, ideally with media coverage or a press release.
2. Organizational Requirements: Appoint a contact person, consider translating the Pact if needed, and join the CitiesWithNature platform for integrated reporting.
3. Selection of Pact Targets: Select at least 15 of the 28 targets.
4. Development of the Pact Action Plan: Create an action plan as detailed in the Guidance.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to refer to our Pact Guidance document (PDF file, 472 kB), in which you will find details of the first steps to take, as well as reporting templates and an impression of the action plan.

For your signature to be approved, you will need the authorisation of your highest political authority or its representative. This is usually the Mayor of your city. Depending on the organisational structure of your city, you may also need the approval of a specific council.

To report on the implementation of the Berlin Urban Nature Pact targets, your city will provide updates at the annual Pact meetings, using the CitiesWithNature Action Platform and the templates provided in the Pact Guidance document.

Under the Berlin Urban Nature Pact, support for your city includes:

• Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing: Access to a network of cities for knowledge exchange, peer learning, good practice case studies, webinars, and dialogues for capacity building within the CitiesWithNature Action Platform.
• Thematic Leadership and Community Engagement: Opportunities to take on thematic leadership roles and engage in a collaborative community, enhancing implementation efforts through joint initiatives and visibility on the Pact’s website and social media.
• Technical Support and Guidance: The Pact Coordination Office provides practical guidance, templates, regular updates, and technical support, including help with the CitiesWithNature platform for reporting and integration.
• Promotional Support: Assistance in promoting the Pact through welcome packages, logos, email, social media templates, and publicity support for sign-up events.

Cities are encouraged to create public funding programs, incentives for local biodiversity initiatives, and public-private partnerships. However, direct funding is not provided by the Pact itself.

Your city can share best practices under the Berlin Urban Nature Pact by:

1. Participating in the CitiesWithNature Action Platform: Use this platform to showcase achievements, upload reports, and share biodiversity actions with other Pact cities.
2. Engaging in the Pact Community of Practice: Actively participate in webinars, dialogues, and joint capacity-building initiatives organized within the community.
3. Thematic Leadership: Lead or join thematic working groups to contribute to conceptual and practical implementation strategies.
4. Annual Pact Meetings: Present progress, challenges, and solutions during the annual meetings, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration.
5. Peer Learning and Case Studies: Share good practice case studies, lessons learned, and process-oriented actions to inspire and support other cities.

Individuals or organizations cannot become Pact signatories. However, if you are interested in championing the Pact in your city in other ways, you are welcome to do so, and we are more than happy to collaborate with you on this.